Eugenio Suarez hit a three-run homer, and the Seattle Mariners held on to defeat the visiting San Diego Padres 4-3 Wednesday afternoon.
The Mariners took five of six games from the Padres in the inaugural season of the Vedder Cup, named for the Pearl Jam frontman who has ties to both cities.
The Mariners overcame the shortest start of the season for Bryan Woo (12-7), who failed to go six innings for the first time in 26 outings.
Woo allowed two runs on six hits in 5 2/3 innings. The right-hander walked one and struck out six.
Gabe Speier relieved Woo in the sixth with the bases loaded and one run already in. Speier hit Jake Cronenworth with a pitch as he squared around to bunt to make it 4-2 before striking out Freddy Fermin to end the inning.
Mariners closer Andres Munoz worked the ninth for his 31st save of the season. Munoz allowed doubles to Cronenworth and Fernando Tatis Jr. to plate a run before getting Ramon Laureano to ground out to third to end the game.
The Mariners opened the scoring in the second as Suarez lined a one-out single to left, stole second and scored an out later on Luke Raley’s double to right.
Julio Rodriguez led off the fourth with a single, stole second and advanced to third on catcher Fermin’s throwing error. After a walk to Josh Naylor, Suarez hit a first-pitch cut fastball from Yu Darvish (3-4) into the Mariners’ bullpen in left-center field to make it 4-0. It was Suarez’s 42nd homer of the season and gave him 104 RBIs, fourth in the majors in both categories.
Darvish, who had won his previous three decisions, allowed four runs on four hits over four innings. The right-hander walked one and fanned three.
The Padres broke through against Woo in the sixth. Laureano was hit by a pitch and Ryan O’Hearn lined a one-out single to left. An out later, Gavin Sheets grounded a run-scoring single to center and Jose Iglesias reached on an infield single to load the bases and end Woo’s afternoon.
